A MALTON-based performing arts centre has won a national award for helping to improve health and wellbeing.

Kirkham Henry Performing Arts Centre CIC in Horsemarket Road won the Best Community Creating Hub at The Health Creation Alliance’s 2022 Excellence in Health Creation Awards held in London.

The award was given for the centre’s work online during Covid lockdowns, inclusive classes, for those with Parkinson’s and dementia, dance for the blind and visually impaired, Golden Gliders Dancercise, Silver Swans (ballet for older bodies) and all the adult classes.

Angela Kirkham-Raine, director of the performing arts centre, said: “Myself, Sue Thackray a director and a parent volunteer travelled to London to attend the event.

“The event was attended by people in health and creation from all over the UK. Sponsors were NHS property services, National Health executive, Public sector executive, HLM architects, Novartis, SCW, PPL, Sollis.

“There were five categories in the 2022 excellence in Health Creation Awards and Kirkham Henry Performing Arts CIC won the Best community creating hub.

“After receiving the award, we went on to a reception at The House of Lords, where we were joined by my daughter Samantha, senior ballet mistress of The Royal Ballet Company who is patron of Kirkham Henry youth ballet.

“Everyone at Kirkham Henry is absolutely thrilled to be recognised nationally for all our work and hope this recognition will help us secure funding first to help us with the cost of living crisis and secondly by being able to improve our facilities especially the accessibility, which will help those attending dance classes in wheelchairs.”

The Health Creation Alliance’s 2022 Excellence in Health Creation Awards provide an opportunity to have health creating work recognised and showcased at a national level.

This was the fourth awards held.

Health Creation Alliance wants to hear about your health creating programmes.

A spokesperson said: “The outstanding community response to Covid-19 and the vaccination programme has brought to the fore the health-creating power of connected, strong communities, while Health Creation is becoming increasingly recognised as essential to our health and care system alongside the treatment of illness and prevention of ill-health.”